Sweetest Teen Ever Asks Grandma to Prom

But invite turns sour when school says she’s ‘too old’

Alabama high school senior Bryce Maine set off lots of “aww’s” and “likes” across the internet when he asked his grandmother to be his date at the school prom while also celebrating his 18th birthday.

“My grandma is the most important woman in my life, and she’s never had a prom before, so I figured why not let her go with me,” Maine told “Inside Edition.” He surprised her with the invitation accompanied by a “PROM” sign, posted on social media, which stirred gushes of approval across the country.

But what many saw as a sweet proposal across generations, others spurned as a disruption of prom rules.

The episode went viral when leaders of Eufaula High School said Catherine Maine wasn’t allowed to attend because she’s too old. “Attendees must be under the age of 20 and/or should be enrolled at EHS,” the school said in a statement. Principal Steve Hawkins added: “For the 10 years I have been high school principal, we have denied requests each year from students asking to bring older dates to prom. We do not chance leaving any stone unturned when it comes to safety.”

School policy prohibits anyone older than 20 from attending. “Most high schools have an age limit for prom attendees,” Hawkins told “Inside Edition.”

Maine decided not to attend without his “Nannie” and will throw a party at his house instead. “We will just make our own,” he said. Nannie plans to wear the dress she picked out.